Stories

Complete Reversal: A year after a two-win season, MHS boys soccer one win away from region berth

Photo Submitted by Matthew Pearman/MHS Athletic Department

On the back end of a busy doubleheader at Monticello High School, the Mustangs’ boys soccer team did its part to erase memories of the MHS girls team falling in a shootout to visiting Waynesboro in the first game by powering past Jefferson District rival Fluvanna 4-1 in the Conference 29 tournament quarterfinals.

 

There was action before some fans even settled back into their seats following the penalty shootout in the previous game — the Flucos earned a corner barely a minute in and Emory Davis went over the top, heading in a feed from Matthew Mooney to open the scoring and giving the Flucos the start they needed if they wanted any chance of an upset.

 

But Monticello bounced back courtesy of Jose Lara Ruiz. The Mustangs earned a free kick in the 14th minute, and senior defenseman Robert McGill put it on a platter for Lara Ruiz, who equalized.

 

“We maintain a theme of ‘just keep playing,'” Monticello coach Stu Pearson said. “We just kept playing after that. So far, so good.”

 

But he wasn’t done. Four minutes later, the senior striker corralled a loose ball 26 yards out and blasted it toward the net, where it deflected off the hands of Fluvanna goalkeeper Bryce Cognetti and over the line to give the Mustangs the lead, an advantage which they took into the break.

 

“This team had two wins all of last season,” Pearson said. “This win is huge, and I know it’s the first playoff win here in quite some time. The athletic department has supported us so well, nice nets, a beautiful field, and now it’s paying off.”

 

The second half, like much of the first, was a tug-of-war. The Mustangs held possession longer and found themselves with more opportunities, thanks again to the ball-controlling abilities of Lara Ruiz and the rest of the Mustang attack. Then, in the 60th minute, they added some insurance courtesy of a pair of freshmen.

 

Following a mad scramble in front of the net, Luis Lopez controlled the ball in the corner of the box and found a streaking Jack Billies, who deposited it past a largely empty net to make it 3-1 and take some pressure off a Mustang defense that had done a fantastic job of keeping Fluvanna at bay following the opening goal. Then, Lopez got one of his own to make it 4-1 barely a minute later, putting the game firmly in Monticello’s control.

 

The Mustangs outshot Fluvanna 7-2 and held a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.

 

Monticello will take the field again when they meet Western Albemarle on Tuesday. The Warriors have previously defeated the Mustangs twice, both by a score of 2-0.

 

“They’re a great team,” Pearson said. “We will give them a better game this go-round.”

 

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